Data integrity and complexity are seen as top challenge for DBAs

A new survey looking at the challenges faced by database administrators (DBAs) shows 35 percent of organizations cite data integration as a top challenge.

Additionally, the study from Quest Software shows 42 percent of organizations report that data migrations are a significant obstacle to overcome, with complications in ensuring database reliability and performance.

Multi-platform complexity is an issue too, 93 percent of companies use multiple database platforms, leading to increased costs, security risks and potential operational inefficiencies. While 52 percent of organizations have yet to fully develop or implement AI governance policies.

“Modern database management plays a critical role in an organization’s digital transformation,” says Bharath Vasudevan, VP of product management at Quest Software. “In the past, DBAs responsibilities involved depth within a single database environment. Today, DBAs must also balance operational challenges with strategic data initiatives around the data and AI lifecycle. Businesses must invest in the right tools and processes to ensure they can manage the entire database ecosystem, consisting of multi-platform environments, data security considerations, and AI-driven applications.”

The findings highlight a growing divide as DBAs are expected to take on more strategic roles, but many are still bogged down by integration challenges, and the uncertainty of AI’s impact on their jobs.

As the role of DBAs evolves, organizations that fail to modernize their database management strategy could face higher security risks, slower AI adoption, and operational inefficiencies. With data breaches and AI-powered cyberattacks on the increase, IT and security leaders need to be proactive about database governance and security.

Interestingly 40 percent of DBAs weren’t originally hired for the role, reflecting a growing skills gap in database management and the need for ongoing training and upskilling programs. The study also finds 32 percent of companies see observability tools as critical in transitioning DBAs from reactive maintenance to proactive, strategic data management.

You can get the full report from the Quest site and there will be a webinar to discuss the findings on April 24th at 1pm EST.

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